Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) are highly problematic for many people, as there is a shortage of convenient and/or readily available treatments. For example, dialysis may be performed on patients with failing kidneys to remove substances such as wastes, etc. from the patients' blood, however, often patients must connect to dialysis systems frequently. The need for such frequent dialysis treatments causes inconvenience and significantly reduces the patients' quality of life.
In contrast, for those who have undergone a kidney transplant operation, after the recovery period is complete, the quality of life increases in comparison to those needing dialysis treatment. However, kidney transplant operations are not a ready option for so many in need, due to the fact that the demand for healthy kidneys far exceeds the supply.
There is a substantial need for treating failing kidneys in a fashion that would negatively impact the patient's quality of life much less than frequent dialysis but would also be available to many persons in need at lower costs than that of kidney transplants. Even if for some patients a new treatment would not completely eliminate the need for dialysis, it could significantly reduce the frequency of the dialysis treatments.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,012,118 relates to a wearable dialysis system and method for removing uremic waste metabolites and fluid from a patient suffering from renal disease.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,336 relates to an implantable ultrafiltration device for removing low to medium molecular weight solutes and fluids from the blood of a patient experiencing renal failure. The device includes a pump having an inlet and an outlet; a first component for forming a first fluid flow path between the patient's vascular system and the pump inlet; a filter interposed in the first fluid flow path, the filter being permeable to water and substantially impermeable to blood cells and proteins; and a second component for forming a second fluid flow path between the pump outlet and the patient's bladder, wherein the pump, the first and second components, and the filter are all constructed to be surgically implanted in the patient's body.
US 2013/0253409 relates to a device for removing fluid from a first bodily cavity and for directing that fluid into a second bodily cavity while avoiding risks of infection and, in one embodiment, excessive dehydration of the first bodily cavity. The device includes a pump and a reservoir.
Prior art methods do not provide sufficient treatments for disposal of redundant fluids. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and means for assisting in the disposal of redundant bodily fluids.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and means for decreasing the use of dialysis treatments.
Another object of the present invention to treat patients with heart failure that are also in need of fluids removal.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.